Researcher from USAMV Cluj-Napoca selected for a prestigious European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, offered through the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program

Our University is pleased to announce an exceptional achievement of Alexandra Corduneanu, PhD, from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: her selection to receive one of the most prestigious European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF), offered by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program.

This excellence fellowship is awarded to top researchers who have the opportunity to strengthen their careers through international mobility, professional development and innovative research. In 2024, 10,360 researchers applied and 1,696 were selected, including our faculty researcher.

In the framework of this fellowship, PhD Alexandra Corduneanu will carry out her research work at the “Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement” (INRAE), host research unit UMR-BIPAR (www.inrae.fr; www.microbiotick.com), in Paris, for a period of two years, starting 01.09.2025, where she will work on an ambitious project entitled “Exploring how bat microbiome and their natural antibodies modulate tick immunity and pathogen fitness”.

“The aim of this project is to investigate how natural glycan-specific antibodies produced by bacteria in the bat gut microbiome can activate the host and vector immune system, influencing their microbiota and the fitness of transmitted pathogens, thereby contributing to the prevention of zoonotic diseases and biodiversity conservation. I am deeply honored and grateful to the people who have supported me in obtaining this Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship and I look forward to contributing to the advancement of scientific research through this incredible opportunity”, said Senior Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Alexandra Corduneanu.

Through this research, our faculty researcher will make significant contributions to One Health, addressing current challenges and advancing knowledge in this area of study. The project will also facilitate collaboration with international experts, thereby strengthening scientific networks and promoting global knowledge exchange.

A Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship is a major step in any researcher’s career. This fellowship offers unique opportunities as follows:

Researchers work in a prestigious academic environment with leaders in their field of research;

Develop advanced skills in both basic and applied research;

Participation in training programs, workshops and international conferences, contributing to the development of extensive professional networks;

Increase the visibility of research by publishing results in leading scientific journals and through interdisciplinary collaborations;

Opening up new opportunities for future funding and career progression.

Congratulations, Lecturer Dr. Alexandra Corduneanu, for this remarkable achievement and good luck in the project!

Details about the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) program: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/news/msca-postdoctoral-fellowships-2024-receives-10360-proposals